Navy graduation emotional experience

Probably there was a lump in the throat of the majority of the 25,000-plus people in the Navy-Marine Corps stadium in Annapolis, MD, last Saturday for the graduation of midshipmen.

We can assure you that this grandfather of a graduate felt it.

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan made everyone in the stadium feel he/she had been part of the success of the 1,052 midshipmen who were commissioned as officers.

They had stayed the course for four years, moving up from mere plebes to graduates and officers.

Shanahan commented that the family is the bedrock of the nation and credited family members for the success of the 2019 class, which Superintendent Vice Adm. Ted Carter called the “best class we’ve ever graduated” with a record graduation rate of 89.9 percent.

He told the graduates that in the Navy and Marine Corps their acts and not their words would speak for them, and discussed a famous quote from Theodore Roosevelt, commonly tied to his foreign policy approach — “speak softly and carry a big stick.”

Shanahan gave the graduates some advice:

“When the project or mission appears difficult, stay the course.

“Don’t you dare quit,” he ordered.

He also told them this: “Put the mission before your career.” If you do so, he told the midshipmen, “your career is far more meaningful.”

He related a story from his own career.

He pointed to a time when he was transferred from a successful industrial plant, to oversee a failing one.

“I had the option to say no, but I said yes, I wanted to test my mettle.”

“Think, don’t copy,” Shanahan told the impending officers: reject the status quo. Now more than ever before, the status quo isn’t good enough -- with new threats, and technology.

Then he added: When you experience failure, stand your ground, adding:

“The toughest person to stand against is your teammate,” he said.

“I need you young (officers)... to set the standard (for military ethics) …. The status quo won’t cut it.”

We met a number of the new officers, grandson Ben’s friends and classmates.

Each of them was poised, confident (but far from cocky) and excited about going on to their next level of training and service.

The excitement was contagious. Their enthusiasm gave renewed confidence in the future of our nation.

If it should ever fall, it won’t be because of young people like these.

A couple of Ben’s high school friends, Zac Moore and Trey Buckner, made the effort to get to Annapolis for the graduation, adding to the event for all. Zac and Trey toured nearby Washington, D.C. while they were there.

We were happy to see them and get re-acquainted.

County commissioners , crews due our thanks

Kingfisher County commissioners and their crews are due our thanks.

They spent all last weekend and the Memorial Day holiday (Monday) working almost around the clock in an effort to make county roads passable and safe.

While we were helping deliver the newspaper to local communities Tuesday and Wednesday, we observed where county crews had already been at work making repairs to flood-ravaged roads and marking danger spots (destined for future repairs) to make mtorists aware.

This was the most damaging flood as far as roadways are concerned in our memory.

County crews tackled the work with enthusiasm, working late into the night (actually like 3 a.m. in the morning) most days to help keep county residents safe and accessible.

It is going to take awhile to get our county roads back into shape. There are hundreds of flood-caused trouble spots on the county’s 1,500-plus-mile road system.

It is inconvenient to change your travel patterns because of road damage, but Acts of God sometimes create inconvenience.

We urge people to have patience and maybe give your commissioner and his road crews a word of thanks for their efforts.

Knowing the generosity of local residents we imagine they’ll do more than that – like take them coffee, Cokes or even a treat to eat.

Dist. 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss said determining and arranging materials for the needed repairs is a job in itself. “We’re still looking for some pipe (tinhorns),” he said, speculating they may be located in trees after the high floodwaters or in farmers’ fields.

The flooding could make the county’s wheat harvest even more challenging than usual in coming weeks. There’s no telling what the harvesters may find in their elds